Grain separator



, April 23, 1929- J. A. PERKINS l GRAIN SEPARATOR 13. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l A 1' NvEN'r-on JoHNA. PERM/Ne BJLJ/ mi Filed Aug.

ATTORNEYS J. A. PERKINS April 23, 19.29.

GRAIN SEPARATOR Filed Aug, 13, 1928 RSM@ www NK. n w MMA mPQV MM w April 23, 1929.

4.1. A. PERKINS GRAIN SE'PARATOR Filed Aug. 13, 192B 3 Sheets-Sheet R w M NH Imm L patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES p JOHN A.. PERKINS,OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

Application nea August 13, i928. sensu No. 299,343.

This invention relates to new' and useful improvemznts in grain separatorsand more particularly to the type employing a moving separator surtacecomprising aV plurality ot pockets or indentations adapt-ed to receive certain sized material and deliver it to a suitable receiving means. Material too large to enter the pockets is collected from the separator and delivered to a discharge opening.

The primary object ot my present invention is to increase the separating capacity and etlicienc-y o'l' a machine ot this type by providing a series ot' dellector blades positioned toreceive the coarse retusematerial that is swept from the surface ot the separator and advanceit l'rom one dellector to another to-A ward the discharge opening. These detlectors may be used without any 'feeding spiral or auger, or such an auger may be provided at the delivery or discharge opening only or at both openingswith theintermediate section omitted; or the detlectors may be used with the spiral extending the full length of the perating shaft7 preferably arrangcdjon an incline. lt' the shaft is arranged in a substantially horizontal. position; to operate in the lower portion oit the body ot' the material on the separator; then better results may be obtained by eliminating the intermediate section or the spiral.

A turtherobject isto provide means tor changingthe position oil the del'lector blades with respect to the'ight ot the material projected against them; thereby regulating the feed ot the material toward the discharge opening. V

A further obj is to arrange the deliectors in groups so that the materialy collected from each separator' may be fed tothe discharge point independently oi. the corresponding ma-l terial collected 'from the other separator; that is, waere parallel cylindrical separators` are provided. i

A :further object is to provide means t'or mounting the groups ot detlectors so that it' ired; one group can be adjusted. independer1-ily ol the other group.

Other objects ot the invention will appear from the-itollowing detailed description.

ln the accompanying` drawings forming part oi? this specification Y F'gure l is a cross-sectional view otmy improved separator showing the general ar rangement of the parts;

Figure 2 is a plan vievv of Figure l partialiy broken away to show the position oft the charge.

detlectors and the action ot Vthe grain when projected jthereagainst by the action ot' the` rotary brushes;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional vienl on the line 3 3 of Figure l showing the means ior delivering the material tothe separator and the discharge tor the coarse material.

Figure l is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 4 4- ot Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a. detailed sectional view showing a lnioditi-ed means for preventing the coarser material trom being carried over by the rotary brushes; j

Figure 6 is a view showing another form of separator with the inventionapplied thereto; andv l Figure 7 is a sectional plan vieWon the line 7--7 oi" Figure 6 showing the structure on a smaller scale. y

ln carrying out my invention I provide a grain separator` having a traveling indented separating surtacewith cooperating means to prevent the coarser material such as oats, barley and otlierretuse from being carried along by the separating surface, with a suitable delivering and discharging means and a series ot detlectors against which the coarser material is thrown by said' cooperating means yand passed trom one detlector to another to the discharge. f

A further provision includes two cylinders having peripheral surfaces provided with a plurality ot indentations or pockets adapted to receive material of a certain size such as wheat,- which, falling into the indentations,

lis discharged into a suitable receptacle beneath the cylinders. A rotary brush is pret.- erably mounted above each cylinder with its bristles substantially contacting therewith so .that the coarser material such as oats and refuse which may becarried by the indentations or pockets, will be brushed back into the mass ot grain between thecylinders; a series of deliectors being mounted between the two brushes against which the coarsermaterial is deli\f'ered and deflected from one to the other toward the discharge' opening, the deflectors being capable oi adjustment to varyy their angle to the direction of delivery of the coarse material and thereby Aincrease or decrease the feed of the material to the disln the selected embodiment of the invention here shown, tor purposes of disclosure, there is illustrated in Figure l a grain separater eoifi'iprsin g a casing 2 having spaeefl cylin llO Ll O

ders 3 rotatably i'nounted therein, each having its periphery provided with a plurality of indentations or pockets l adapted to receive and carry Certain sized material upwardly for discharge into the spares or gaps 5 provided betr-leen the outer portions of tlie'cylinders and the walls of the casing 2. The material discharged into these gaps, such for example, as wheat, is delivered onto the inclined bottom walls 6 and from thence into a conveyor 7 arranged centrally of the machine and having` dmvnwardly into contact with the peripheries of the two cylinders when the delivery of the grain to the separator ceases, thereby causing all. of the material delivered into the separator to contact with the periphery of the cylinders. yllhe spacing member 8 is supported upon a member 12 arranged longitudinally of the machine and having its opposed ends suitably secured to the end walls 1 3 and'lll of the separator casing. i

The means for delivering the material into the separator is shown invFigure 3 and comprices a hopper 15 mounted upon a. tubular easing 16 secured to the end wall 13. A feed auger or screw 17 is mounted within the tubular casing 16 upon a shaft 13 preferably eX- tending the full length of the separater and having its ends supported in suitable bearings 19 and 21 as shown. vThe bearing 21 is mounted in a small housing 22 adjustably secured to the end wall 1li by means of bolts 23.r n This housing has a discharge 2li; for the coarser inalerial such as oats and barley, which communicates with a discharge opening 24:, pro- (ifi vided in the wall 14, as shown. The flange 25 of the housing 22 is provided with slots 26 adapted to receive the bolts 23 whereby the discharge 242 of the separator may be vertically adjusted. rlhe bearings 19 and 2O are so constructed as to permit vertical adjust ment of the housing 22 as will .readily be seen by referenre to Figure 3.

'lhe portion of the wall 1 4 beneath the discharge opening 14n, has the function of preventing the :tine material from entering the discharge, and the wall portion 22a of the housing 22 forms a continuation of the wall 1l, as shown in lligure 3. Vertical adjustnient of the housing 22 by means of the slots 26 and bolts 23, will have the effect of raising the discharge opening and increasing the height of the wall that prevents the discharge of the line material.

vin the end walls of the separator The feed screw or auger, as shown plainly in Figure 2, has a spiral at its delivery end for the purpose of rapidly forcing the inaterial into the machine and a corresponding spiral at the discharge for hastening the output of the coarse material at'tliis point. The intermediate portion of the spiral is preferably omit-ted, for when the f ed screw is arranged horizontally there is danger of the intermediate spiral feeding the wheat or other line material toward the discharge well as the coarser material. llt the Sametime it is desirable to provide some means for collecting and hastening the discharge of the coarse material and with this end in view l provide first, means to dislodge and collect the coarse refuse material from the surface ofthe traveling separator and means toreceive such collected refuse material and feed it rapidly and efficiently toward the discharge of the machine. l will now proceed to describe this feature of the machine in detail.

Arotary brush 27 is preferably arranged over cach cylinderand each has its periphery substantially engaging` the periphery of its respective cylinder so that all coarse material carried upwardly between the indent-ations in the cylinder periphery will be brushed back in a direction toiif'ard the center of the machine as indicated by the arrows in Figures 1 and 2. An angle plate 28 is arranged adjacent to each brush 27 and has one flange substantially engaging the periphery of its respective brush to prevent the coarse inaterial from being carried around by the v i l brushes. Each brush 2i is mounted on a sli-att 29 mounted in suitable bearings provided casing. r'w the function of each brush, las shownin Figures 1 and 2 and indicated by the arrows in these figures, is to dislodge or collect the oats and refuse material and sweep it inwardly toward the feed screw, thereby separating it from the mass of liner material that has been collected in the pockets of the separaten Cooperating with these brushes or other suitable collecting means of a similar function,

l provide a plurality of dellectors or inclined pl ates 31, each having a pivot pin 32 secured thereto and Journale/cl in suitable brackets 33 secured to t-he upper wall of the casing.`

An ai'in 345 is non-rotatably secured to each pivot pin 32 for relatively adjusting they position of its respective dctlector plate 31. Each deliector plate is provided with such an adjusting arm as clearly shown in Figure 2. To provide means for simultaneously adjusting all of the dellectors each arm 34- has its s vinging end pivotally engaged with an adj Listing bar 35 sli dably mounted upon the upper wall of the casing` and having a hand grip 36 by means of which it may readily be radjusted to change the angular positions of theY deflectors 31. `vA screw 37 lis secured in the upper casing wall and traverses a slot `38 in ice vthe bar 36. Awing nut 3.9 is terminally mounted upon the screw 37 for locking the adjusting bar 35 in adjusted'positions.

An apron or guard 31 depends between the groups of deliector plates and its function is to prevent the material from being thrown past one group of defiectors into the other group ontheotherside of the machine. Therefore in the operationof the machine the coarse refuse material that is collected by each brush will be delivered to its adjacent group of de.- flectors and be passed along from one deflector to the other in the same group until it reaches the discharge. i n

The deflectors are primarily intended to supplement the operation of the spiral or auger feeding means or other suitable device for this purpose and thereby increase the capacity of the machine. The spiral may have its middle portion omitted and provided with a short delivery auger at one end and a corresponding discharge auger at the other end7 or the machine may be'successfully operated by employing a group or series of defiectors and a means for directing the coarse material thereon. without the use of a feed auger or other corresponding feed device. If a spiral is used and extends theA fullv length of the feed shaft it should be set at an incline in the material and in this position will operate very efliciently in connection with the defiectors to separate the coarse from the fine material. In the drawings, however, I have preferably shown the middle portion of the spiral omitted, as better results may be obtained by this arrangement, particularly if the feed shaft extends through the lower portion of the mass of material on the separator, but do not c'onfine myself to this arrangementV as the spiral may be extendedy the full length of the shaft,

if preferred, or the spiral or other feedingl means may be entirely omitted and the de'- flectors used alone in cooperation with a suitable means jfor collecting the `coarse material upon the separator. Y

A suitable chain drive 41 is provided at one end of the separator for operating the cylinders, brushes and conveyors. -These parts are so connected as to rotate in the'direction indicated bythe arrows in Figure-1.

Figure 5 illustrates a modifiedconstruction wherein the angle plates 28 have been dispensed with and in place thereof a semicylindrical. housing 42 is engaged vwith each brush 27 to prevent the coarser material from being carried over the tops of the brushes. rihese cylindrical housings may be supported upon the upper wall ofv theseparator casing.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate another modified form wherein the moving separating surface consists of an indented belt 43 movably mounted upon cylinders 44 and 45 and having an inclined wall 46 arranged adjacent the lower portionof the belt which substantially engages the surface thereof to prevent mafrom the other.

terial from passing between the surface of the belt and the lower offset portion 47 of the plate 46. This plate 46 cooperates with the inclined upper run ofthe belt to provide. a hopper adapted to receive the material from a suitable chute or hopper 48 ar anged adfor accelerating the initial movement of the material onto the separating belt and another discharge spiral near the discharge opening for hastening the output of the light refuse material from the machine.r These spirals are mounted ona shaft v*18 corresponding to the one previously described and the middle portion of the spiral is preferably omitted. A brush 53 is mounted in the upper portion of the se iarator and substantially engages the surface of the upper run of the belt 43 and functions to brush the oats and coarse refuse material bacirwardly in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figures 6 and 7;

A plurality of deflector plates'54 are hinged to the side wall 55 of the separator casing and each deflector has its vupper edge pivotally connected to an adjusting bar 56 arranged beneath the top wall of the separator and having one end'projecting from the casing as shown at the lefthand side of Figure 7. A

projecting end portion 57 provides a hand grip whereby the defleotorsv54 may be moved back and forth and their angle changed with respect to the direction of flight of the material that is thrown against them by the brush 53and thereby feed of the coarse material to the' discharge may be controlled. Y In Figure 7 l have shown the cylinders 44 and 45, the angers 17" and 51 and the brush 53v driven by means of a chain 'drive 53 illustrated at the right hand end of the figure, Any other' suitable drivingl mechanism may of course'be substituted for this belt if preferred. Bythe employment of the Vdcilectors the feeding of the coarse material lengthwise of the machine may be controlled at will.y For example, sliould the feeding of the mat rial into the separator be uneven or intermittent the positions of the deflectors 31 may bi adjusted as to re d r speed up the fee(1 of the coarser material through the machine depending upon the character-of the material being separated so that a thorough separation may be obtained'of all. materials, one In the drawings l have shown the deflectors mounted for 'relativo adjustment, and all connected with the adhey will be moved justing bar 35 sojthat t simultaneously when the bar is longitudinally moved. It is to be understood, however,

that if desired the deflectors magy be ar-i ranged in grou-ps'- and each group adapted l for adjustment independently oi' the other group so that the coarser material may be caused to travel 'faster thronghone portion of the machine t en through the other portion. ln some instances it may be desirable to mount the detlectors in listed relation With respect to the cylinders or separating surfaces.

rlhe .fl-shr-ped spacing member 8 mounted between the cylinders 3-3 provides means -lor delivering all oi: the material. receiverL in the separator betnf'een the two cylinders onto the peripheries thereof so that when the 'teedirw' ot the `nuderial to the separator thro rthe hopper l5 ceases all material deliver ed into tl e separator 'will be subjected to the action ot the sep: rating surtA ces oi the two cylinders and consequently all line and coarse material delivered into vthe separator will be separated one trom the other.

ln the operation oit the machine the material'to be separated, usually Wheat mixed with oats, barley and coarse refuse material, is ted into the machine at the delivery opening and the auger or spiral. at this point insm'cs a rapid positive leed onto the separatingI surface. The mass el material collecting between the cylinders is engaged by their peripheral surfaces and carried upwardly through the rotation ot the cylinders, the line material such as the wheat kernels, entering the pockets oit the cylinders and becoming thereby separated from the coarse material. rllhe continued rotation ol the cylinders will discharge the seeds in the pockets by gravity into a. suitable receptacle as describcd,and the oat kernels and other material too large to enter the pockets Willbe cngaged by the bristles of the brush es and dislodged from the separator and thrown inwardly against the de'ilcctor blades that are arranged at an angle to the direction of llight ol' the material. rlhese blades being arranged in groups, one for each separator, serve to deflect the material thrown against them and advance it through the machine toward the discharge opening, Where, the ilinal step in the operation, the refuse is engaged by the discharge spiral and quickly ected 'from the machine. The angle oi these dellector blades to the Work can be easily and quickly changed to suit dil'ifereut condi.- tions, and to obtain the best results, and the use ol these blades in connection with the brushes may eliminate entirely the intermediate spiral ol the -leed auger; that is, the part between the delivery and discharge angers, and at the same time avoid the possible collection ot the line n'xaterial by such portion oi the auger and its delivery to the discharge opening. The mass ot material is distrilmted over the surface of the rotating` separators and the brushes operating thereon will rapidly and thorenffhlT project the coarse material Jlector blades,

thereby separating' it etlectually from the wheat kernels Which are collected 1n the pockets oil the moving separators. The same Y principle is involved lin the modification Where an endless separator belt is shown in place ot the cylindrical separators. ln the modification, one group ot the delleetor blades is provided with means for shitting them back and iio-rth to change their angle rwith respect to the material that is discharged herein shown and described may be modified and still be within the scope ot my invention.

l' claim: l

l. A machine ol" the class described comprising a suitable casing, a traveling separator therein having indentations or pockets to receive the iner material delivered thereto, said casing' having a suitable discharge, means for collecting the light refuse material carried along by said separator and directing it away troni the separator and means for deliecting such material to said discharge opening.

2. ln. a machine oit the class described, a moving selriarator having a surface for separating Wheat and line material trom acoarser material, means for sweeping the light refuse material otl the 'surface of the separator and means in the path ol such refuse material for engaging and detlecting it to a suitable discharge; l

f 3. A machine of the class described having a discharge opening for the light refuse material, means havingV pockets or indentations therein to receive and collect the tiner material, normally stationary means for directing the light coarse material toward said discharge and means lor collecting such maf terial as it accumulates on said indented means and directing it against said stationary means. y Y

4l. A machine ot theclass described, having means for delivering` the material to be separated thereto and a suitable discharge 'lor the coarse refuse material, a separator having pockets or indentations to receive the liner material, means arranged at an angle to the traveling material for directing the coarse, refuse toward said discharge, and means for sweeping the refuse material from said separator against said angled means.

5. A machine ot the class described, having' receiving and discharge openings, a

traveling separator having pocketsror indentation's to receive the liner material and means lor collecting the refuse material that is .too large to enter said pocketsand projecting it away fro n said separator, a series et de'ieeters arranged in the path jot theret use material and at anl angle thereto and means for changing the-angle of said deflectors to the movin'gmaterial.

6. fr machine of trie class described having means for delivering the materlalto be separated thereto and a suit-able discharge 'tor the coarse refuse material, a separator hav- .ing pockets or indentations toreceive the finer material., a series of deilector blades'arranged in parallel relation between said receiving and discharge openings and adapted to direct the light coarse material 'from one blade to another toward said discharge, and means for brushing the surface of the separator and dislodging therefrom the light refuse material that is too coarse to enter said pockets and projecting such refuse material against the surfaces of said blades.

7. A machine of the class described having means for delivering the material to be separated thereto and a suitable discharge for the coarse refuse material, a separator having pockets or indentations to receive the finer material, a series of deflector blades arranged in parallel relation between said receiving and discharge openings and adapted to direct the light coarse material from one blade to another toward said discharge, and means for brushing the surface of the separator and (lislodging therefrom the light refuse` material thatis too coarse to enter said pockets and projecting such refuse mate-rial against the surfaces of said blades, and said blades being capable of adjustment to vchange their angle to the flight ofthe material thrown against them.

8. ln a machine of the class described, a pair of cylinders arranged at an incline in parallel relation and having peripheral indentations or pockets to receive and collect the finer material delivered thereto, means adjacent each cylinder for sweeping the coarse refuse material from the surface thereof and directing it to a point between said cylinders, and means in the path of the coarse refuse material for directing such refuse to a suitable discharge. Y

9. The combination with a pair of cylindrical separators arranged-at an incline in parallel relation and having a series of pockets or indentations therein, of a series of defiectors mounted adjacent to said cylinders and adapted to receive the coarse refuse material and deliver it to a suitable discharge, and brushes arranged to sweep the coarse refuse material from the surface of said separators and direct it against said deflectors;

10. The combination with a pair of cylindrical separators arranged at an incline in parallel relationand having a series of pockets or indentations therein, of a series of deflectors mounted adjacent to said cylinders and adapted to receive the coarse refuse material and deliver itto a discharge, means for adjusting said deflectors to change their position with respect to said separators, and means mounted adjacent said separators for removing the coarse refuse material therefrom and projecting it against said deflectors.

11. The combi-nation with a traveling separator having indentations or pockets therein to receive the liner material, of a plurality' of deflectors adapted to receive the coarse refuse materialand direct it' away from the main body of the materialA and means for shiftingsaid deiiectors to change their angle to the material to be deflected.`

12. The combination'with a pair of rotating cylinders'arranged at an'A incline in parallel relation `and having pockets or indentations in theirA surface, of a group of deflectors arranged inspaced relation above'each cylinder, said deflectors being arranged at an angle tothe moving coarse, refuse material, being separated and adapted to deflectV such n'iaierial away from the mass of other material, and means in connection with each cylinder for discharging the coarse, refuse macharge openings for engaging the light,

refuse material collected from the separator and directing such material to said discharge.

14V. In a machine of the class described, having receiving and discharge openings, a traveling separator having indentations or pockets in its surface to receive the fine' material, a delivery auger for hastening the initial Afeed of the material to said separator, a discharge auger for accelerating the discharge of the light coarse material, means for sweeping up the light coarse `material that accumulates on the surface of the separater and discharging it therefrom, deilector means interposed between said receiving and discharge openings for engaging the light, refuse material collected from the separator an d directing such material to said discharge,

landino-ans for shifting said deflectors to change their angle with respect to the flight of the material delivered thereon.

l5. In a machine of the class described, having receiving and discharge openings, a means for accelerating the initial feed and hastening the discharge of the light refuse material, a separating member whereon the material to be separated is delivered in a mass, said separating member having pockets or indentations adapted to receive the fine material, the light coarse material being too large to enter said pockets, means for collecting the light coarse material as it accumulates on said separating member and projecting it therefrom, and a series of dei'lector blades positioned to receive the light coarse material so projected and pass it along from one deiiector to another to said discharge.

16. In a machine of the class described, rotating separators having peripheral pockets or indentations adapted to receive the tine material delivered thereto, said pockets being too small to receive the coarse material, means for collecting the coarse material as it accumulates on said separators and projecting it therefrom, groups of defiector plates arranged to receive the material so projected and advance it toward a discharge opening, and a guard or shield depending between the groups of deflectors and preventing the material from being thrown from one group into the adjacent group.

17. In a machine of the class described, a

moving separator having a surface for sep-` arating fine from` coarse material and provided with a discharge for said coarse material, and groups of deflectors arranged in parallel relation and adapted to receive respectively the coarse material from said sepf arator and deflect it toward said discharge opening.

19. In a machine of the class described, movingfseparators having surfaces for separatingiine from coarse materiall and pro-v vided with a discharge for said coarse material, groups of delectors arranged in parallel relation and adapted to receive respeci tively the coarse material fromfsaid sepa@ arating fine from coarse material and provid ed with a discharge for said coarse material, a group of deiiector blades against which the coarse material is thrown and directed by said blades to said discharge, and means for vertically adjusting said discharge opening to prevent discharge of the fine material therethrough. Y

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th dayof August, 1928'.

JOHN A. PERKINS. 

